Healthy Peanut Butter Granola

Healthy Peanut Butter Granola is a simple homemade recipe filled with chunky clusters of whole, healthy ingredients. Made completely gluten and dairy-free, and ready in 30 minutes or less!

The best homemade peanut butter granola recipe you’ll ever make

When I say that the only homemade granola recipe you’ll ever need is this one, you can trust me on that. This healthy peanut butter granola comes with great flavor and core nutrients, making it a recipe with multiple benefits.

I’ve been making my own granola for as long as I can remember. It’s always been one of my favorite snacks! And while I do still buy it occasionally, I almost always have a batch of homemade on hand. Making my own allows me to control exactly what’s included, right down to the amount of sweetness or the level of crunchiness.

Just like my Healthy Chocolate Granola and Cinnamon Toast Granola, this recipe is extremely easy to make, allowing it to be a pantry staple.

Ingredients in healthy peanut butter granola

I’ve been making this healthy peanut butter granola for about ten years now. Over that time, it’s seen a lot of tweaks, switched up ingredients, and various methods. But now, I can make it from memory, and let’s just say the recipe has been perfected! Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Old fashioned oats: First up is 3 cups of old fashioned oats. These are going to serve as the base of the granola.
• Salt: Granola will taste bland without salt, so be sure to include 1/4 tsp!
• Chia seeds: Add some protein to the granola with 2 tbsp of chia seeds.
• Cinnamon: Next, 1 tsp of cinnamon adds yummy flavor.
• Natural peanut butter: Next up is the peanut butter! Use 1/2 cup of a natural brand. If preferred, other nut butters (or sunflower seed butter!) will work just as well.
• Honey: Add 1/3 cup of honey to make the granola a bit sweeter.
• Melted coconut oil: 1/4 cup of melted coconut oil will help the granola take shape. It will also help it crisp up!
• Vanilla extract: Last but not least, be sure to include 1 tsp of vanilla extract.

Tools used to make the best peanut butter granola

In terms of tools, you’ll need a baking sheet, parchment paper, a mixing bowl, a mixing utensil, and the following measuring cup sizes: 1/4 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make granola

This granola recipe is a very forgiving one with many ingredients that can be easily swapped out for other products that you may have. It’s easy to make too! All you need to do is mix all of the ingredients together in one bowl, lay it flat on a baking sheet, and bake. Once completely cooled, you will be able to break the granola up into desirable size clusters. Here’s the full how-to:

To start, preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, salt, chia seeds, and cinnamon.

Stir in the peanut butter, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla.

Once fully combined, press the granola mixture into an even layer on the prepared baking sheet and spread flat.

Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until it starts to turn golden brown.

Let the granola cool completely before breaking it apart into your desired sized pieces.

Enjoy on yogurt, ice cream, or in a bowl with milk!

Healthy granola recipe add-ons

My favorite part of this recipe is adding all of the different mix-ins once the granola has cooled. This is when the creativity comes out, and when the true flavor magic happens! Sometimes I’m in the mood to eat the granola as-is, and other times I prefer to load it up with as many goodies as I can find!

You can add chopped chocolate bars, dried cranberries or fruit, peanut butter chips, marshmallows, chocolate chips, graham crackers, almond slivers, and more. It’s a blank canvas!

How this recipe is healthier

There are only a few very simple ingredients in this granola, all of which are healthier alternatives to what you’ll find in store-bought granola. Those are filled with preservatives and aren’t the best choice health-wise. Here are some ingredients I use that make this recipe a better option!

Rolled oats: Oats are a wonderful granola ingredient because they provide fiber and healthy fats. I highly recommend using rolled oats for this recipe. They will work better than steel cut or quick oats.

Natural peanut butter: Natural peanut butter is the way to go! This is one of those ingredients where you always want to choose the organic, natural version. It’s also a great granola ingredient because it provides protein. I love the Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s brands because they only contain peanuts and salt. If preferred, feel free to use cashew butter or almond butter.

Honey: Honey is one of my favorite natural sweeteners to use! It helps to gather the ingredients and create the beautiful chunky clusters that taste delicious in yogurt. You can also use maple syrup for an equally delicious flavor.

Chia seeds: Chia seeds provide some of the granola texture while also supplying healthy Omega-3s.

Coconut oil: Coconut oil keeps the granola moist and will also help to crisp it up in the oven. You can use any oil you’d like, but I love the natural coconut flavor that this type provides. If you don’t like the flavor of coconut, be sure to use refined coconut oil, as it has no taste.

Why is my granola not crunchy?

Be sure to bake your granola for at least 18-22 minutes, or until it turns golden brown. Underbaking can prevent it from getting crunchy enough. Additionally, be sure to use the correct measurement of coconut oil. This recipe calls for 1/4 cup. Too much can create a softer result.

Is it ok to snack on granola?

Of course! This granola uses healthier ingredients and is a very nutrient-dense and protein-rich snack.

Healthy peanut butter granola can be stored in a Ziploc bag or an airtight container on the counter. It will last for about 2 weeks!

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Here are some more delicious healthy recipes that have been recently added to the blog! All of these ideas are crazy delicious and feature simple ingredients just like this recipe.

• Healthy Pretzel Freezer Fudge
• S’mores Banana Bread
• Healthy Raw Brownie Bites
• Healthy Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa